Chucks are used in tool technology, especially in turning and milling for holding various workpieces or tools in the clamping space which is formed by the jaws of the chuck. Tools can be for example milling heads or drills which are stored in magazines and removed from the respective magazine by automation and clamped in the chuck in a computer controlled manner in order for example to be able to carry out different process steps on the same component.
In particular for chucks which are not hydraulically or pneumatically driven it is necessary at regular intervals to replace the chuck, for example when the chuck is no longer working with the necessary precision or the dimension of the chuck is not suitable for use. In the chuck, tools or machine components or the workpiece to be machined are clamped in the center of the lathe chuck in a clamping space which is formed by the faces of the chuck jaws.
For example, hydraulic and pneumatic chucks have the advantage that they can be automatically and quickly switched. The chucking travels of the chuck jaws which can be achieved with hydraulic and pneumatic chucks are comparatively small, for example only +/−10 mm so that the smallest and largest diameter of the clamping space which stands for the variability of the chuck is limited. In any case, the chuck can accommodate large tools or workpieces by re-arranging or replacing the chuck jaws.
For this reason the attainable clamping force for these chucks is very great. In order to therefore be able to accommodate tools or workpieces with different dimensions, especially a different diameter, either the chuck must be replaced or the chuck jaws must be shifted.
Chucks are for example head chucks, drill chucks, lathe chucks or shrink chucks.
Moreover the replacement of chucks generally takes place manually, a specialist stopping the machine tool, opening it and opening the jaws of the chuck, removing the workpiece and then replacing the chuck by a new chuck.
Therefore the object of this invention is to provide a chuck which can be used more efficiently, in particular which reaches high clamping force, and which has wide chuck travels and at the same time a construction as compact as possible.